Car Scratch? Here's What to Do

Oh, no, you got a scratch on your car! Don't worry, it happens. Your local auto detailing shop can help! Below is the process we follow at Capitol Shine. This should give you an idea what to expect or what to ask for when talking to detailers about scratch removal.1) The detailer should inspect your vehicle and then give you a cost  estimate.  No scratch is created equally or the same way. If the auto-detailer gives you a flat fee for fixing the scratch without assessing the vehicle first, this might be a red flag to the level of quality that will be delivered2) Be wary if the auto-detailer claims to be able to deliver a perfect finish for all scratch repair. Some scratches can be easily buffed out, some may require touch-up paint, and then there are those scratches that can be improved but will never be perfect. This is all determined on the depth of the scratch. (A good rule of thumb is to run your finger nail against the scratch, it the scratch catches your nail it may be too deep to be completely buffed out)3) At Capitol Shine we always recommend that car owners get the touch-up paint from their dealership (or a dealership that sells that make/model of car) There is no substitution for the exact match on paint. There are detailers that claim to match the paint themselves, but we have found that there is no better match than the exact paint color.4) Don't expect to be in-and-out the same day as the estimate. If buffing is required they may need to schedule you for the next available day, if the scratch requires touch-up paint they will need to wait until the paint comes in from the dealership (again, it's worth the wait to get an exact match)